Before you Start Shopping for an Electric Bike, Educate Yourself!

At Kiwi-owned MeloYelo, the thing they care about most is when you make the decision to buy an e-bike, you buy the one that’s the best choice for you.

They realise many seniors have not ridden a bike in years, and their knowledge about bikes in general, let alone e-bikes, may be extremely limited.

With this in mind, MeloYelo has produced a very easy-to-understand booklet called “Demystifying E-Bikes: Things you need to know before you go shopping.” The booklet starts with a section on comfort, and the many different ways an e-bike can be made as comfortable as possible for the rider. They chose to focus on comfort first because (a) it’s the number one priority of older riders and (b) MeloYelo see many older people riding bikes that have obviously not been fitted properly to the rider. Greater comfort means greater pleasure and, most importantly, great safety.

The booklet asks the question, “Do you want a bike as easy to pedal as possible, or that directly amplifies the leg pressure you’re applying on the pedals?” If you want an e-bike that makes it as easy as possible to pedal, then there is a specific type of sensor which may be more appropriate for you.

Perhaps one of the biggest issues explored in the booklet is what type of riding you will be doing. MeloYelo examines the kind of specifications suitable for town-only riding, versus what to look for if you’re planning on using your e-bike on off-road trails.

Another issue, and perhaps the most common question asked by e-bike shoppers “How far can you ride on a charge?” There is a lot of misleading information out there on this topic. The booklet gives you a formula you can use, regardless of which brand of e-bike you’re considering, to calculate approximate range.

Several other topics are covered, all in a way anybody can understand. Click here to download a free copy of the booklet. And, be sure to check out MeloYelo’s extensive library of blogs, all designed to help people make more informed decisions about e-bikes.